Adolescence
by RingosGarden
Summary: After falling through the veil, Sirius is given another chance at his missed adolescence, being sent by higher powers back to the beginning of Harry's 5th year in his 15 year old body- memory intact.
1. Prologue

Prequel

Prequel

"He's not dead. Where the hell are we supposed to put him?"

"Well he can't stay here."

Darwin held his hand up, silencing Plato and Aristotle who had been at it for hours. "We all know that he cannot stay here. That is why the four of us were called upon to figure out what to do with him."

Galileo grunted in agreement from across the table.

"I don't understand why the four of us were given this task," Plato said slowly. "Why weren't wizards called into conference?"

"Impartial discussion," Aristotle replied with a slight laugh. "Something about the man having been imprisoned. Apparently Wizards don't tend to look past that, guilty or not."

"He was innocent," Galileo said in a fierce tone.

Plato sighed and looked through the stack of paper before him. An identical stack was before each of the four men. As he began muttering to himself, Darwin brought his own papers to before him and started reading aloud.

"Sirius Orion Black, aged 35. Spent the two years preceding now in hiding and the twelve before that falsely imprisoned."

"Why the man never had an adolescence!" Galileo exclaimed.

Plato nodded. "Can they give him one?"

"I was under the impression that Merlin could do anything," Aristotle replied with a sarcastic smirk.

"He left behind a Godson, aged fifteen."

"Fifteen?" Darwin asked Plato, who nodded once more in return.

Galileo nodded as well. "How about it?"

Aristotle shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't really matter."

"Agreed then," Darwin said, pushing his stack of papers away from him with a smile. "We will restore him to his fifteen year old self in an attempt at adolescence."

"How will that work?" Plato asked.

Darwin shrugged. "That's up to Merlin."


	2. Sirius?

Sirius yawned, stretching in his bed and pulled the covers off

Sirius yawned, stretching in his bed and pulled the covers off. It had been a long night and the battle at the Ministry had certainly taken its toll on him. He couldn't even remember getting back home from the Department of Mysteries.

Tiredly, he wiped the sleep from his eyes before jumping out of his bed and running his hands through his untamed hair. He did a few stretches before scratching himself, pulling a dirty t-shirt from off the floor over his head and heading downstairs to the kitchen after grabbing his wand from his bedside table.

Suppressing another yawn as he opened the door, he waved at the faces of the Order and children at the table, who stared back at him with no reaction. Molly, however, upon seeing him dropped the entire tray of drinks she had been walking over from the counter, emitting a loud shriek as she did.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Sirius asked, taking his wand out of his back pocket and fixing the scattered glass fragments back into their original shape and vanishing the liquid.

"Sirius?"

He turned to Harry who was looking at him in shock along with the rest of the table. "What's wrong with you lot?" he asked, looking from face to face. He passes over the calculating face of Dumbledore and stopped at Remus, who had tears in his eyes, which he wasn't bothering to hide.

Before Sirius had the chance to ask him anything, Remus spoke softly. "You're alive...and so young."

Sirius continued to stare at him in confusion. "Of- of course I'm alive…and what do you mean I'm so young? What are you talking about?"

"I believe we can answer that."

All heads shot to the doorway where Sirius had recently walked through.

The man who spoke smirked. "Got your attention do I?"

"One would be rendered a fool to not give his attention to the great Aristotle and Charles Darwin, wouldn't he?" Dumbledore asked, having found his voice. The rest of the room, Sirius included, had been rendered speechless.

Darwin placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I suggest you sit down."

Without any reaction other than moving to the kitchen bench beside McGonagall, Sirius did as he was told, noticing most faces at the table blatantly staring at him rather than the two strange men in his kitchen.

"My name is Charles Darwin and this is Aristotle," the one on the right began, looking directly at Sirius. "You do not remember, but yesterday you fell through a veil and appeared at the gateway of the afterlife, however, you were very much alive."

"A group of us were called into conference," Aristotle continued, "to decide what to do with you. Upon deliberation, we decided to send you back here, at the age of your Godson, so you can have a second chance at your adolescence as you missed so much of it."

Sirius looked across the table quickly to Harry and back at the men before him. "Age of my…you mean I'm fifteen?"

"Precisely," Darwin replied, looking at the occupants of the room. "Merlin agreed with our decision and decided that after this conversation it will be as if the last several months did not happen and your lives will be restarted from September the 1st, with Sirius here enrolling as a student."

The room was silent and Hermione sheepishly raised her hand. Before her, Aristotle and Darwin looked at her in peculiarity. "Excuse me sirs," she said quietly. "But how will that work? At some point we're going to meet back up with this date and how are we to prevent-"

Aristotle silenced her with a wave of his hand. "There is nothing to worry about. It the mortal world there are limitations on magic, as we are aware, yet Merlin is the one who regulates them. Only the people within this room will be aware in the slightest that anything is amiss. It will be as if Sirius never existed in a previous life, only as he is now."

"Of course," Darwin said slowly. "This can all be reversed if you wish," he said to Sirius. "You can choose to go to the afterlife."

A short look to Harry and Remus was all he needed to shake his head no. "No. I won't leave them."

"Very well then," Darwin said with a smile, looking across the room to the clock on the wall. "In approximately 45 seconds, you all will find yourselves wherever you were on September the 1st with complete recollection of this conversation, upon where, Sirius will begin his new life."

Most heads at the table nodded, still stunned into silence. Sirius looked at all of them; the only people who will shortly know of his past; Remus, Harry, Dumbledore, Molly, Arthur, McGonagall, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Tonks, Kingsley, Snape and Moody. To the rest of the world, he will soon be a fifteen-year-old kid.

With a blinding flash, Sirius let himself smile.


	3. AUTHOR NOTE

Hi all-

So I've graduated college and I'm working full time and balancing my real-life needs, so I've been more or less absent from this site. I am incredibly grateful for all the support I've received since my haitus, and the messages urging me on to continue my work.

I can't promise any speed, but I'd like to finish a few stories I have on here.

So thank you, and hopefully you'll hear from me again soon.

-Tay.


	4. The Hogwarts Express

**Hi. Thought I'd work on this story above the others for now. Please don't hate me, but a girl only has so much time. **

**But hey- chapter!**

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"You okay?"

I glance around the platform and take a deep breath, only nodding to Hermione's question. It's all I could do. In a matter of moments I was fifteen again, standing on the platform of the Hogwarts Express, waiting to begin my fifth year.

"Sirius?"

I tare my eyes away from the bustle of the platform. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Hermione gives me a doubtful look but says nothing else as Moody shuffles us towards the train. I'm not sure I'm prepared for this. And with the stares I'm already gaining, I'm positive that I'm not prepared for this. "Stick close to Harry, Sirius," Moody mutters to me, nudging me towards my godson. Harry looks like he's about the throw up, and now that I think about it, I'm sure we all do.

Ron mutters something about deja vu after he and a Gryffindor exchange greetings but I don't pay too much attention; My cousin Narcissa is walking towards me and from the look Tonks sends my way, I'm not the only one to have noticed.

She gestures to me with a slight nod to remove myself from the group. Remus shakes his head at me, ever so slightly, and I have to agree with him. She doesn't seem to care, however, and walks over to me.

"Can I help you?" I ask her slowly, trying to gage what she wants.

She purses her lips. "Of course you wouldn't remember me. I heard that you might be transferring to Hogwarts this year from Durmstrang. Well, I know you don't really know me but I'm your cousin Narcissa. Your father Regulus and I grew up together."

I try to keep my face impartial.

_Regulus?_

"My son," she continues, glancing over her shoulder, "Draco. He's your age. Slytherin. Just-" she pauses, and I swear she's about to place her hand against my cheek, but she pulls back. "If you need something, you can go to him. We are family."

She nods at me and doesn't wait for me to respond, quickly walking back over to where her son was staring from.

The train whistle blows and startles our group out of its silence. Students begin to rush off the platform for the train.

"Quick, quick," Molly says, nudging her children forward. Remus grabs hold of my arm and pulls me towards Moody, Arthur and Tonks. I nod at Harry as he glances back at me before he follows Ron and Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys onto the train.

"You look like you're about to vomit," Tonks says with a grin. Moody shushes her and she rolls her eyes back at him.

"Go to Albus' office immediately after the welcoming feast," he mutters quietly. "We'll have something figured out by then." He places his hand on my shoulder and proceeds to leave the platform without another word.

"You'll be fine."

"I-"

Remus smiles at me and pulls me into a tight hug. "I don't understand it, but...last night...well, it's amazing to have you back. In any way. I'm not sure what I'd do without you, Siri."

Another short whistle blows and Remus pulls away; I can see that he is attempting to hold back tears. "We thought we lost you," he murmurs.

"You could never lose me, Remus." I tell him when I can find my voice. He only nods in reply, and gestures towards the train.

"Good luck, cuz," Tonks tells me, pulling me into a hug. "You've been given a second chance at life, mate." She loosens her grip around me enough to pull back and look me in the eyes. "If anyone deserves it, it's you, Sirius. Owl me. Frequently," she adds before letting me go.

"Thank you. I will, Dora."

And taking a deep breath, I step onto the train.

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"Who are you?"

The conversation had stopped when I opened the compartment door; Harry, Ginny, and the Longbottom boy look to me for a response to the Lovegood girl's question.

"Sorry," I mutter, feeling more awkward and out of place than I have ever been in my life- and that's _really_ saying something.

"I'm Sirius," I reply. "I'm a new transfer..."

"He's a friend of ours," Ginny tells her. "Sirius, this is Luna," she says, pointing to Lovegood, "and this is Neville...you can sit with us, Sirius," she adds with a smile. "Ron and Hermione have a prefects meeting, but they should be here soon."

"Thank you," I reply, sitting across from Harry. He makes eye contact with me and nearly immediately breaks it, looking out the window. "Harry?"

He looks at me but doesn't reply.

"Do you think we could talk real quick?"

Harry nods at me after a slight pause and follows me out of the compartment and into the empty hallway.

"I know this is weird-" I start, but Harry cuts me off.

"You died last night," he says slowly, glancing around to make sure we were alone. "And now you're here, only you're fifteen and my peer and...as glad as I am that you're alive- this is too weird."

"It's not exactly easy for me either, Harry."

"You're not my Godfather anymore, are you?"

I hadn't thought about it. I haven't thought about a lot of things, yet. "Probably not," I admit. "But the title doesn't mean anything. I'm still here for you as much as I've ever been. I will always be here for you, Harry."

"You can't say that," he replies, almost coldly. "I- you might not remember, but I watched Bellatrix kill you." He shakes his head. "I just need some time, Sirius. I can't just see you as another student. This was the worst year of my life and I never would have wished to repeat it in a million years...but here I am..."

"And I'm right beside you."

"I don't know if it's enough."

I open my mouth to respond when approaching footsteps cut me off.

"Hey," Ron says, lowering his voice. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Harry replies, glancing back to me. "We were just heading back inside."

Ron follows Harry back inside but Hermione hesitates, letting the door close in front of her.

"How are you doing?" she asks me, concern more than evident in her voice.

I shrug at her and she smiles. "I know we're not really close," she says slowly, pursing her lips, "but I cannot imagine how you're feeling right now. If you need anything-"

"Thank you, Hermione," I reply earnestly. "I still don't think I've processed any of this..."

"Well- this is the second time I've time traveled for you," she says with a slight smirk. "I think that qualifies me as a pro."

I can't help laughing and she smiles at me.

"Besides," she adds. "I'm a prefect, and you're a new student. It's kind of my job."

"Right. Obligation, and all."

"Exactly." Her smile fades from her face and is replaced by what I read as pity. "Harry will come around," she says softly. "He can be a bit stubborn, but he loves you. And needs you."

"I know he will," I tell her.

Only I'm not so sure. I'm not so sure of anything, anymore.

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**I'm posting this as I write it- copy and paste, so let me know what you think, pleaseeeee. **


	5. Sorting

**Thanks for the reviews and messages, folks. 3**

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"Sirius Black?"

McGonagall smiles at me. I can do this. In fact, I've already done this. I take a deep breath and step up to the Sorting Hat. I lift it off the stool and sit down. I glance at the Gryffindor table- Ginny gives me a thumbs up and I smile before placing the hat on my head.

_We meet again. _The hat says, inside my own head. I can feel my pulse start to race- even faster than it already was. I can't believe I'm sitting here, getting re-sorted. _Albus told me to expect you. You were a lot more talkative the last time we met, as I remember. _"Sorry." I tell the hat. _You're nervous. No need, Mr. Black. I'll say the same thing tonight, as I did years ago; 'both Slytherin of Gryffindor will take you far. I'll leave the choice with you'. _

"Gryffindor."

_Through and through. GRYFFINDOR! Good luck, Mr. Black._

I take the hat off and stand, glancing to the Staff table, where Dumbledore sends me a wink. I can feel every eye on me as I walk over to the Gryffindor table. Both Fred and George send me catcalls and I can't help laughing. They break some of the tension I've been feeling, and I find myself very grateful for them.

Hermione moves aside so I can sit between her and Fred. Harry gives me a small smile from across the table, and I suddenly find myself grinning.

Maybe this will be okay.

And maybe I'm absolutely mad. Or I'm dreaming. Or cursed. Or both.

I get a few questions from the Gryffindors sitting near me, but I'm not in a talkative mood so they quickly grow bored and leave me alone with my food. Not that I have too much of an appetite. I find myself simply moving the food on my plate around with my for until my meal- plate and all- vanishes before me.

It's hard for me to concentrate on Albus' speech. And I find it even harder to not tune out each annoying word from Umbridge's repulsive mouth. When McGonagall told me I would be sorted again I swear I had nearly fainted. Yesterday I was a thirty-five year old escaped convict, and today I'm sitting among a hall full of teenagers. And I'm their equal.

And I have a new persona.

And I'm just a little freaked out.

_..._And everyone's suddenly staring at me.

"What?" I ask, looking from Harry, to Ron, and back to Harry.

"Dumbledore asked you to follow him out of the hall," Harry says, a smirk on his face, standing as the rest of the student body begins to file out of the room. I watch as his smile quickly vanishes and turn myself towards his line of vision. Students were blatantly staring at him, whispering and pointing. Some looking at him with fear in their eyes.

It's a look that I received a good many of times. From the beginning months of my first year at Hogwarts. To my Azkaban years. And even currently. The Black name seems to still carry its weight. There were many whispers as I was sorted into Gryffindor, amongst some faint clapping from Gryffindor- mostly from the Weasleys.

McGonagall announcing to the school that I was a new transfer from Durmstrang certainly didn't help.

"I didn't realize it was this bad for you," I tell him, keeping my voice low.

He glances down to where I'm sitting, but doesn't meet my eyes. "Just wait," he replies, shaking his head, turning towards where Umbridge was leaving through a side door. "I'll see you later," he tells me, pausing slightly before following Ginny and Neville away from the table.

Both Fred and George clap me on the shoulder before following the rest of them out of the hall. It feel like hours before the Hall is empty, and Dumbledore is standing across from me.

_"_Follow me please, Mr. Black."

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I quickly grab the folder Dumbledore hands me, and open it.

"It seems they had everything prepared for your returning here," Dumbledore continues, sitting across from me.

"My mother's not listed?" I ask him, looking up from my school records. Sure enough, my brother Regulus was written down as my father. But the spot for mother was left blank.

"No," he replies. "And as far as we can tell it is not officially recorded anywhere else."

I continue reading about my new self. Until now, it seems, I was attending Durmstrang, at the request of my dead father's wishes. It seems he still died in the war at the request of Voldemort.

Dumbledore clears his throat and I look up at him. There's no telling how long I've actually been reading and re-reading the same notes.

"There seems to be something else about your father," he says slowly. He reaches inside his robes and hands me a Ministry folder, bearing Kingsley's name.

Inside the folder is Regulus' death certificate. Like in my 'old' life, a body was never found. He was classified deceased by the loss of his magical energy. Nothing new.

It's the other piece of paper that floors me. It's my transfer of guardianship from Regulus over to my new guardian. Listed: Severus Tobias Snape.

"What?" I ask Dumbledore, looking to his face for a joke. Any joke. Because surely this whole thing must be a joke by this point. "Snape?"

"It seems Regulus...your father- and brother," he says slowly, "was close friends with Severus. In both this time, and your previous. Severus is your Godfather."

I'm quiet and he places his hand on my knee. "As I recall, you never quite had it easy here," he starts. "You had a group of good friends who unconditionally had your back- like Harry does. But you were still lonely. And you've been given another chance here. Harry needs you, I believe."

"And maybe Snape does, too."

I actually snort. And to his credit, Dumbledore also smiles. He shakes his head at me. "Your past might make it seem ridiculous, but for one reason or another- that past no longer exists, not exactly. You exist only here. Only with your current self's past."

"I'll be talking with Severus tonight, as well. But if I were you, I'd start thinking about learning to play nice with Severus- as you'll, at the very least, be residing with him once the school year is over- back at your home."

"I still don't understand this." I don't. Why am I back here? Why am I here, but James still isn't?

"I'm not entirely sure that we're meant to," he replies, standing, and walking over to his desk. "I will continue looking into it all, Sirius- but for now, I think you can only return back to your dorm. The password is 'Mimbulus mimbletonia.' I trust you know your way back?"

I roll my eyes at him as I stand. "Yeah, thanks. Helpful, as always."

He chuckles as I walk out of his office.

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"Harry okay?"

He hadn't spoken much on our walk down to breakfast. And it wasn't just me. He plops himself down at the table a few seats own and across from me and Hermione; Ron sits beside him.

Hermione nods from beside me, "Your dorm-mate, Seamus-," she says, gesturing towards a boy near the end of the table, "and a lot of the other students here, think that Harry was lying about You Know Who being back, because of the Daily Prophet... they kind of gave him a hard time when we started school this year. Well, they _are_ giving him a hard time."

McGonagall interrupts my reply, handing me my class schedule. Hermione leans over my shoulder to read mine. "History of Magic, Double Potions, Ancient Runes and Defense Against the Dark Arts for today...You took Ancient Runes?"

I have to smile at the tone of surprise in her voice.

"What?" I ask, smirking. "Still doubt my intelligence?"

Her eyes narrow. "That wasn't what I had meant...just- most people fine Ancient Runes boring. I was just slightly surprised. I didn't think you did much schoolwork when you were here...before."

I shrug at her. "I find it interesting." It's not a lie. I do. But learning Ancient Runes was just a normal part of my Black upbringing. Mother made sure I was well versed, like any good pure-blood should be. From the classic languages, to current- and even some that are widely believed as mythical- I was taught them all. I took the class, because even though it was one of the most difficult that Hogwarts had to offer- I found it easy. And it was certainly a lot easier taking it at Hogwarts, than at home, where I received punishment by wand for any incorrect translations.

I might have a new life here, with an entirely different history- but all my memories are still there. And I'm finding it hard not to drown in them all, being back at Hogwarts. I glance at the Slytherin table, and for a second I _swear_ I see Regulus. When I blink, and shake myself out of it, I realize that the boy I was looking at didn't have dark hair, but rather, platinum blonde hair; Draco.

"You okay mate?"

The twins had sat across from me while I had been day dreaming, and George was staring at me.

"Sirius?"

"I don't belong here."

From the look George gives me, I've accidentally spoken aloud. Hermione is busy leaning across the table to see Harry and Ron's schedules, and Fred is talking to his friend, Lee-bent over in a whisper.

"Sorry," I say softly, looking back down at my schedule. Binns then Snape. And ending the day with Umbridge. Maybe this is Hell.

"Hey."

When I finally look back up, George's glaring at me. "If you didn't belong here, you wouldn't be here, mate. I know enough to know that's true. I don't pretend to understand any of this, because I don't. But you're here. I'd go with it. And at the very least, you can help raise hell with Umbridge."

He has me smiling. "I don't know, it's been a while since I've been a Marauder."

George smirks in response. "I'd argue that once a Marauder, always a Marauder."

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**:)**


	6. Potions

**:) Love you all.**

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I realize that I'm the only person to have jumped at the sound of the dungeon door slamming shut. And I can feel the heat rise to my face from both the other students laughing at me, and from the smirk I'm receiving from Snape.

"Take a seat beside Longbottom, Black."

I do as I'm told and Neville gives me a small smile before Snape starts his speech. He's telling us about our upcoming OWL exams- I choose to pay less attention to his words, and more to his demeanor. I don't know this Snape. I mean- we've been in each other's company. Had a few fights.

But I know the teenaged Snape. The one I used to trip-hex upon sight. The Snape who was quiet and timid. He was frail and followed around the older Slytherins like a lost puppy, just waiting for that pat on the head.

Harry had told me that Snape had a rough childhood; he had seen it during Occulmency lessons. Not that I didn't already gather that from what Lilly used to tell us. I didn't think twice about it while at Hogwarts. But knowing what Harry has to deal with at his home with the Dursleys... What he grew up having to deal with.

I couldn't imagine picking on Harry in the same manner that James and I had picked on Snape. Snape wasn't always a Deatheater. I guess I never really knew him. Lilly had liked him before he was in deep in the Dark Arts.

Maybe Dumbledore was right, and Snape needs me. In this 'timeline' he's as good as my father.

Regulus. _Why him?_

_Why the fuck am I here?_

"I said- start," Snape sneers at me.

Looking around, everyone else has already begun their potion. He has the instructions for brewing the Draught of Peace, on the blackboard at the front of the class. "Sorry," I mutter, and I receive a strange look from him. But then again, anything short of loathing is a strange look from Snape, when aimed in my direction.

"He's like that with everyone" Neville says quietly from beside me. "Don't worry- it's not you."

"Thank you."

I've done this potion plenty of times before, and quickly get to work. I do the first five steps without having to read the directions, and when I finally glance up, Snape's staring at me. We hold eye-contact for a few moments before I break it, looking quickly back at the board.

"I don't think I can do this."

Neville looks into my cauldron. "Yours looks perfect, you're being silly."

I laugh and glance at his potion. It's darker than it should be. "Add some armadillo bile, and it should turn lighter."

He does as I suggested and smiles as it changes hue. "Thanks!"

My cauldron gives off a silver mist, and I smile. First assignment of 'Hogwarts take-two', and it's perfect. I glance at Neville's potion, and it's close- dark grey. Same with Harry's. Ron's was sparking. Hermione's was the exact same color as my own.

I watch as Snape glances up at the clock, and stands, making rounds to each student's potion. He starts with the Slytherin's, giving short statements as to what's wrong such as 'you stirred clockwise' or 'too much helbore' or 'you forgot to lower the heat.' He nods at a few students, such as Malfoy, without saying another word, and then heads over to the Gryffindors.

He looks into my cauldron and frowns. "See me after class, Black." I glare at him in return. It's perfect. I know it is.

Snape smirks and walk over to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Weasley," he says slowly, and Ron blanches. "What is _this_ supposed to be?" Snape gestures at Ron's cauldron.

The Slytherin's all snicker. Snape has the class in the palm of his hands.

Ron opens his mouth and closes it a few times before actually answering Snape. "The- the Draught of Peace."

Snape nods. "The Draught of Peace," he says slowly. "And any idea what color it should be?"

"I-"

"Well said, as always," Snape interjects before Ron can speak, earning more laughs from Slytherin. We're told to vial our potions and to clean up, and the class quickly sets to work in an attempt to leave as soon as humanly possible. Harry, Ron and Hermione all give me apologetic looks before leaving me to speak with Snape. I sit down at my table and look down at my hands.

I might be fifteen here, but Snape and I have almost two decades worth of ill feelings towards each other. I can't just make that disappear.

I was a dick to him.

Sure, at the time I felt as if he deserved it...but maybe I was wrong. I'm not so much of an idiot that I think Slytherin; bad, Gryffindor; good. Azkaban changes a man. Especially a man wrongfully imprisoned. I haven't made an attempt to get to know the man since I've been out- he's given me no reason to want to.

I'm not sure that we know how to play nice.

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Snape waits until the class files out, and closes the door. He pauses before turning back around. His face shows no emotion as he studies me.

I'm ready for him when he attempts to enter my mind, and instantly throw him out.

"I'm not a child," I tell him with a sneer.

He says nothing, but walks towards me, leaning against his desk. I can feel him studying my face. He signs, and sits down on the front of his desk, running a hand through his hair. He looks defeated.

Huh.

This is a side of Snape I've never seen. He's let his guard down.

To me.

I take a deep breath. "I don't understand this."

He doesn't respond immediately. Before he does speak, I can hear him sign once more. "Neither do I," he says, shaking his head. "The Headmaster and I spent several hours last night looking through books and every other possible source- and nothing. No records of anything of the sort- this sort- having happened before. And the portraits- are uncooperative."

Suddenly, I have a headache. He continues. "I was shown your file."

I look back up at him; my eyes had drifted back down to my hands. "Your records show that I am both your guardian and Godfather, and for the past fifteen years, you have been in my care."

"You were friends." I guess it's not a question. I had meant it as a question, but there seems to be some miscommunication between by brain and my mouth. Always seems that way.

I've caught him off guard. "We were," he replies. "Regulus and I. In both of our timeline's, it seems."

"How are you so calm?"

He actually has the audacity to roll his eyes at me. "I'm well trained."

Right. Double agent. I'm still not positive that Dumbledore isn't insane for trusting him, but who am I to judge another's sanity. My brother was a Death Eater. Snape _was_ a Death Eater. I transferred here from Durmstrang in this timeline, who's to say I'm not a Death Eater?

Now there's a thought.

Quickly, I roll up my left sleeve. I'm frozen. As clear as fucking day. I've been tattooed.

"Why?"

I glance at Snape, only long enough to register that he looks about as horrified as I feel. My hearts feels like it's about to beat through my chest. "I-" I'm not even sure who I'm talking to. "Why would they bring me back like this?"

"What's the gain? How...how am I useful like this? Why would they give me life for dark reasons?"

I can hardly catch my breath. The Dark Mark is tattooed on my arm. _MY_ arm.

"Black?"

I jump. My sleeve falls back down, covering the Mark.

Standing from the table, I grab my bag. He watches me, but doesn't say anything else as I flee from his classroom. I'll deal with Snape later.

Right now I need to deal with myself.

Instead of going to lunch, I head towards the library.

_This has to be a fucking dream._

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**Whoops. 3**


End file.
